When something happens in West Hempstead, residents should express their opinion as to the impact it has on our community. I did so on several occasions in the past couple of months. What is equally important is to critique not only the bad but also the good.

To say I would prefer looking at a library rather than a storage facility at the intersection of Woodfield Road and Hempstead Avenue is understandable. But, what I find myself looking at now reminds me of the fairy tale about the ugly duckling. Although a four-story building is not a swan, the efforts on the part of the owners must be commended for attempting to make the storage facility aesthetically more appealing.

My thanks and I'm sure the thanks of the community are in order. I want to say thank you to the owners for starting to landscape the facility, for the design features and colors being used, for showing that you do care about the appearance of your facility and what impact it has on our community.

As it now stands, it is showing the possibility of developing into one of our more attractive buildings. Hopefully National Wholesale Liquidators and the other businesses surrounding this property will also be prompted to imitate their lead.

The West Hempstead Civic Association has secured a promise and the cooperation of the MTA and our elected officials to have the billboard removed. Now our challenges are to have the Town of Hempstead and the County of Nassau recognize the need to move forward on to other fronts. These are the revitalization of Hempstead Avenue and the return of Woodfield Road and Westminster Road to their residential character. Both of these roads are hazardous to our health and safety. To this end, the Civic Association has been in contact with our elected officials at the town and county to remedy these concerns. We have written letters asking them to apply for grant money under the Local Safe Streets and Traffic Calming Grant Program. We will continue to urge our representatives to address the concerns of our community and to seek whatever funding available to meet these goals.

Every resident should have some margin of safety when trying to cross these roads. Residents should not have to dodge automobiles because of a lack of stop signs and designated pedestrian crosswalks.

If you support reduced speed limits, stop signs, designated pedestrian crosswalks, and other safety features for these roads, let us know. Please e-mail us, write to us or call us. As always, there is strength in numbers and you and your voice give us this strength.

Rosalie Norton
Executive Vice President
West Hempstead Civic Association